Narrative:

I was under the control of sioux city tower and had requested a departure to the north followed by a climbing left turn out to 2500 ft and heading 240 degrees to norfolk, northeast. The controller cleared me for a takeoff from taxiway C parallel to runway 35 and instructed me to maintain takeoff heading and remain north of the centerline of runway 35. I acknowledged, takeoff and climbed straight ahead to 2500 ft. Soon after the controller instructed me to commence a left turn. Aware of departing traffic from runway 31 I commenced a gradual turn to the left to 240 degrees keeping a lookout for traffic departing runway 31. After a couple of mins, the controller asked me if I had crossed the centerline of runway 31 and I confirmed that I had, whereupon he said that his instructions had been to keep me northeast of runway 31 as he had departing traffic. I told him that since he had instructed me to turn left, I had done so and crossed north of centerline of runway 31. To this he responded by saying that the centerline extended to the edge of class D airspace. Not wishing to get into a discussion, I apologized and then he told me to change to advisory frequency. At no point during this whole episode was my aircraft at risk of endangering other aircraft. I was at adequate altitude and had all the departing traffic in sight. Also, neither I nor the crew on board remember the controller telling me to remain clear of runway 31. It is conceivable, however, that he may have meant runway 31 and said runway 35 or that I might have missed the calls. Since I was cleared to commence a left turn and I had all the departing traffic in sight I was not overly concerned. The workload of the controller was moderate and may have contributed to the problem. My own perception of this situation could have also been a factor. It was a clear case of misinterped communications. Lesson learned is to exercise adequate caution especially when departing airfields with multiple runways. One way to do this for helicopter's, would be to turn away from the pattern, gain altitude in a wide circle and cross midfield on departure heading. Also, if in doubt query the controller's instructions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HELI DEPARTING SUX ENCOUNTERED MISCOMS WITH ATC.

Narrative: I WAS UNDER THE CTL OF SIOUX CITY TWR AND HAD REQUESTED A DEP TO THE N FOLLOWED BY A CLBING L TURN OUT TO 2500 FT AND HEADING 240 DEGS TO NORFOLK, NE. THE CTLR CLRED ME FOR A TKOF FROM TXWY C PARALLEL TO RWY 35 AND INSTRUCTED ME TO MAINTAIN TKOF HEADING AND REMAIN N OF THE CTRLINE OF RWY 35. I ACKNOWLEDGED, TKOF AND CLBED STRAIGHT AHEAD TO 2500 FT. SOON AFTER THE CTLR INSTRUCTED ME TO COMMENCE A L TURN. AWARE OF DEPARTING TFC FROM RWY 31 I COMMENCED A GRADUAL TURN TO THE L TO 240 DEGS KEEPING A LOOKOUT FOR TFC DEPARTING RWY 31. AFTER A COUPLE OF MINS, THE CTLR ASKED ME IF I HAD CROSSED THE CTRLINE OF RWY 31 AND I CONFIRMED THAT I HAD, WHEREUPON HE SAID THAT HIS INSTRUCTIONS HAD BEEN TO KEEP ME NE OF RWY 31 AS HE HAD DEPARTING TFC. I TOLD HIM THAT SINCE HE HAD INSTRUCTED ME TO TURN L, I HAD DONE SO AND CROSSED N OF CTRLINE OF RWY 31. TO THIS HE RESPONDED BY SAYING THAT THE CTRLINE EXTENDED TO THE EDGE OF CLASS D AIRSPACE. NOT WISHING TO GET INTO A DISCUSSION, I APOLOGIZED AND THEN HE TOLD ME TO CHANGE TO ADVISORY FREQ. AT NO POINT DURING THIS WHOLE EPISODE WAS MY ACFT AT RISK OF ENDANGERING OTHER ACFT. I WAS AT ADEQUATE ALT AND HAD ALL THE DEPARTING TFC IN SIGHT. ALSO, NEITHER I NOR THE CREW ON BOARD REMEMBER THE CTLR TELLING ME TO REMAIN CLR OF RWY 31. IT IS CONCEIVABLE, HOWEVER, THAT HE MAY HAVE MEANT RWY 31 AND SAID RWY 35 OR THAT I MIGHT HAVE MISSED THE CALLS. SINCE I WAS CLRED TO COMMENCE A L TURN AND I HAD ALL THE DEPARTING TFC IN SIGHT I WAS NOT OVERLY CONCERNED. THE WORKLOAD OF THE CTLR WAS MODERATE AND MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE PROB. MY OWN PERCEPTION OF THIS SIT COULD HAVE ALSO BEEN A FACTOR. IT WAS A CLR CASE OF MISINTERPED COMS. LESSON LEARNED IS TO EXERCISE ADEQUATE CAUTION ESPECIALLY WHEN DEPARTING AIRFIELDS WITH MULTIPLE RWYS. ONE WAY TO DO THIS FOR HELI'S, WOULD BE TO TURN AWAY FROM THE PATTERN, GAIN ALT IN A WIDE CIRCLE AND CROSS MIDFIELD ON DEP HEADING. ALSO, IF IN DOUBT QUERY THE CTLR'S INSTRUCTIONS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.